Jobs fair offers hope for Lindsey refinery workers facing uncertain future

Workers connected to the Lindsey Oil Refinery near Immingham have been looking ahead to what comes next after a jobs fair was held to support those affected by recent upheaval at the site. The refinery, a major part of the industrial landscape on the south bank of the Humber, has been at the centre of uncertainty since Prax Group went into administration. The site was taken over by the official receiver in June, and 124 employees were made redundant in October. A further 250 staff have been guaranteed employment until the end of March while the future shape of operations becomes clearer.

For communities across northern Lincolnshire, the refinery is more than just a workplace. It is part of a wider network of skilled jobs, contractors and supply chain businesses that help power the local economy. That is why the jobs fair at Immingham Civic Hall carried particular weight, bringing together employers and workers at a time when many are weighing up their next move. Among those attending was pipefitter David Cook, 63, who has spent 21 years at the site.

He described the past period as difficult, saying workers knew their jobs were ending but not exactly when. He also spoke about the challenge of stepping into something new after decades in the same industry, saying many know their roles well but have little experience outside that environment. The event was designed to help refinery workers and people in the supply chain identify where their experience could transfer. Nick Gregory, from Grimsby Jobcentre, said the aim was to match people with employers who had live vacancies and to make the process easier by having a range of firms in one place.

That local approach matters in an area where heavy industry has long shaped careers. Skills in engineering, maintenance and site operations do not disappear when one employer scales back. Instead, the hope is that they can be redirected into other sectors that still need experienced hands. One business represented at the fair was BAE Systems.

Stacey Robinson said the company had roles at sites local to the area and that some vacancies matched the skillsets of former Prax Lindsey workers. Meanwhile, Phillips 66, which operates a neighbouring refinery, bought the Lindsey site in January. The acquisition is expected to complete in the coming months. The company has said it plans to integrate Lindsey's operations, including storage and other infrastructure assets, into its existing site.

However, it has also said standalone refinery operations at Lindsey will not restart because they are not viable in their current form. Even so, Phillips 66 has pointed to possible future growth in renewable and traditional fuels. For workers in Immingham and the surrounding area, that may offer some longer-term encouragement, but for now the immediate focus remains firmly on securing the next job.

This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by www.bbc.com.